natebenma
Beach Club Dee
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2008
Scooter/ECV/Wheelchair Information
Walt Disney World Disability Services (407) 560-2547
You can also find an entire DISabilities forum here on the DIS,
Disney Theme Park Wheelchair Rental (Pros/Cons)
A limited number of complimentary wheelchairs are available to guests staying at WDW resorts. A refundable $315 deposit is required. outdated?
Rental from Outside Companies
Renting from an outside company saves time & money. They can deliver (& pick up when you’re done) at bell services, you don’t need to be present.
Buena Vista Scooter Rental
www.KM-Rentals.com
and Mobility Equipment Rentals both deliver to the resorts and both run about $125 weekly. KM-Rentals offers free delivery and pick-up ... not sure about Mobility Equipment Rentals. outdated?
Apple Scooters
I have also heard great reviews about Apple Scooters for rental/delivery of strollers, scooters and wheelchairs, www.applescooter.com
Pros/Cons
Transportation
Bus- Disney buses can transport 2 scooters/wheelchairs per trip
Boat-
It is very easy to get on the boats. The Captain will put down a ramp to bridge the boat and dock and you just drive it on.
Minnie Vans- There are two Minnie Vans in the fleet that are equipped to carry scooters. Note- you are not able to order these vans via the Lyft app. You must visit the front desk or valet stand to hail these specialized vans.
Room Storage
ECVs should be stored and charged in guests' room overnight. There are limited outlets outside the room, and if you leave the scooter to charge overnight, someone else may come along, unplug your scooter to use the outlet. The next morning, you will discover your scooter has not been charged.
A tip from Hopefully- You can “ disengage” the controls and manually position it in the entrance to the room. I would drive to the door then DH would walk it into the room facing out so I could just drive out in the morning. It was quick and easy to do.
Up to 2 ECVs will fit in a (standard) room
We generally have 2 ECV’s and both fit in the room at BC. The really nice thing is the cabinet with the tv has plenty of outlets so we are able to charge them overnight easily. I hope the photo shows you there is still plenty of room to walk past.
picture and commentary from AGoofykindagirl
Other Tips:
If you are not familiar with driving a scooter, we recommend that you practice with the motorized carts in your local grocery store.
It is important to practice when first receiving the ECV, before taking it out into crowds. It takes intense concentration in the parks as others stop short in front of you, dart in front of you, walk into you etc. It can be very tiring.
You need to need to be able to back up as well.
Wheelchair as an Alternative
Knee/Ankle Scooters
Page 1134
Walt Disney World Disability Services (407) 560-2547
You can also find an entire DISabilities forum here on the DIS,
disABILITIES FAQ
Where can I rent a stroller, scooter, wheelchair or other mobility items during my stay?Disney Theme Park Wheelchair Rental (Pros/Cons)
A limited number of complimentary wheelchairs are available to guests staying at WDW resorts. A refundable $315 deposit is required. outdated?
Rental from Outside Companies
Renting from an outside company saves time & money. They can deliver (& pick up when you’re done) at bell services, you don’t need to be present.
Buena Vista Scooter Rental
www.KM-Rentals.com
and Mobility Equipment Rentals both deliver to the resorts and both run about $125 weekly. KM-Rentals offers free delivery and pick-up ... not sure about Mobility Equipment Rentals. outdated?
Apple Scooters
I have also heard great reviews about Apple Scooters for rental/delivery of strollers, scooters and wheelchairs, www.applescooter.com
Pros/Cons
Here is a link to a post with info and reviews about scooters by Mickey & Minnie Mom: http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=51492673&postcount=195
Transportation
Bus- Disney buses can transport 2 scooters/wheelchairs per trip
Boat-
It is very easy to get on the boats. The Captain will put down a ramp to bridge the boat and dock and you just drive it on.
Minnie Vans- There are two Minnie Vans in the fleet that are equipped to carry scooters. Note- you are not able to order these vans via the Lyft app. You must visit the front desk or valet stand to hail these specialized vans.
Room Storage
ECVs should be stored and charged in guests' room overnight. There are limited outlets outside the room, and if you leave the scooter to charge overnight, someone else may come along, unplug your scooter to use the outlet. The next morning, you will discover your scooter has not been charged.
Tips from AGoofykindagirl- If you rent an ECV and do not have a handicapped accessible room with a door that will stay open longer, you should bring a door stop from home to get the ECV in the room. It is very difficult for someone to stand and hold the door open while someone drives the ECV in.
I generally have the riders get off, turn the speed all the way down, and stand in front to back into the room. It may take a try or two at making it go even slower by not pulling the controls all the way, but it really isn’t too difficult.
I generally have the riders get off, turn the speed all the way down, and stand in front to back into the room. It may take a try or two at making it go even slower by not pulling the controls all the way, but it really isn’t too difficult.
A tip from Hopefully- You can “ disengage” the controls and manually position it in the entrance to the room. I would drive to the door then DH would walk it into the room facing out so I could just drive out in the morning. It was quick and easy to do.
Up to 2 ECVs will fit in a (standard) room
We generally have 2 ECV’s and both fit in the room at BC. The really nice thing is the cabinet with the tv has plenty of outlets so we are able to charge them overnight easily. I hope the photo shows you there is still plenty of room to walk past.
picture and commentary from AGoofykindagirl
Other Tips:
If you are not familiar with driving a scooter, we recommend that you practice with the motorized carts in your local grocery store.
It is important to practice when first receiving the ECV, before taking it out into crowds. It takes intense concentration in the parks as others stop short in front of you, dart in front of you, walk into you etc. It can be very tiring.
You need to need to be able to back up as well.
Wheelchair as an Alternative
I know this isn't the question you asked, but I wanted to suggest that renting a wheelchair for your mom might be a good option. My DD and I did that for my mom a couple of years ago and found it was much easier to manage and maneuver than the ECV. Mom is on the smaller side, so it wasn't hard on DD and me from a physical standpoint. As another poster noted, it gets stressful trying to stop and go and watch out for others. We wanted to relieve her of that stress and it worked well. Getting the wheelchair from an off site service was perfect for our situation.
We also had a rented wheelchair for our mom. It worked out so much better as we too were very worried about how she would handle the start and stop in the crowds and in the stores. The wheelchair allowed her to walk when she wanted, which was alot more than we thought she would, that was a big plus for her. She also used it to hold onto when she wanted to stand. We took turns pushing her around. It really worked out well.
I have seen people in the parks using the wheelchair much like a walker.
How about renting one of those knee/ankle scooters...it can double as a seat during those long queues and waits....
My niece used one after breaking her ankle, and the folks at Disney treated her like a Princess their whole trip!
These work great for small spurts but holy cow if you are stuck using it for long periods they are not the best. Knee hurts from the "pad" , hip of leg doing all the work kills after a bit, and everyone not paying attention hits foot etc.
Spent 3 months using one and while my foot and leg were strong as all get out...my back from leaning to steer and hip and knee were not happy, and uneven surfaces aren't great either. I can see it working with a little kid who is light but for adults who are taller etc I'd do an electric scooter before a knee scooter at disney.
Page 1134
Last edited: